Instead, tight end Zach Miller — a second round pick out of Arizona State, who figures to be on the receiving end of a lot of Russell passes in the future — is the odds-on favorite. After turning heads in mini-camp in May, Miller has an excellent chance to be the Raiders’ starting tight end.

“Although judging from OTAs and minicamps can be a risky proposition,” InsideBayArea.com wrote, “Miller looked to be a natural at finding open areas and catching the ball, a sustainer of drives in the [former Raiders tight end] Todd Christensen mold.”

Miller, for one, is confident that he can get the job done.

“I feel like I can come in and compete right away,” Miller said. “I feel like I am prepared for that, and I anticipate coming in and doing what I can to help the team and make sure that I am playing as hard as I can.”

After trading down in the second round and picking up an extra draft choice, the Raiders selected Miller with the 38th overall pick of the draft. First-year head coach Lane Kiffin believes the Raiders landed a player who is ready to contribute immediately.

“We drafted Zach to come in here to compete to play, and we want him to come here to compete and play every down,” Kiffin said. “The No. 1 tight end on the board for us was Zach. It was an area we felt a huge need in. We needed someone that could do everything.”

Miller enters his rookie season with great credentials as a pass catcher. He left ASU as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (144 for 1,512 yards) and touchdown catches (14) by a tight end. To ensure a starting role, however, he feels he needs to improve his blocking.

“I definitely want to be a complete tight end,” Miller told CBS SportsLine.com during the summer. “I want to bring just as much to the running game as I do for the passing game. I have a lot of high expectations for myself. I expect to do well. I want to play, and that’s my goal.”

Still, his greatest value should come as a receiver. The last Raiders tight end to catch at least 50 passes in a season was Ethan Horton in 1991. Thanks to Miller, there is a good chance that will change in the not-too-distant future.

Russell is expected to open the season behind veteran signal caller Josh McCown on the depth chart, but once he enters the starting lineup, it is believed that Miller will provide him with a nice security blanket as a receiver.

“Miller, who compares favorably to Todd Heap [another Arizona State Sun Devil], will provide the safety net for Oakland’s new franchise quarterback in much the same way that Heap almost single-handedly fended off the bust status from the Ravens’ first-round pick, Kyle Boller,” InsideBayArea.com noted. “Miller’s great hands and solid blocking will help Russell get comfortable as he begins his pro career.”

Meanwhile, Miller has looked to the veteran tight ends on the Oakland roster — Courtney Anderson, James Adkisson, John Madsen, Tony Stewart, Fred Wakefield and Randal Williams — to help learn the ins and outs of playing in the NFL.

“The older guys have a number of years in the NFL between them,” Miller said. “I try to listen to any pearls of wisdom they have. Any little advantage I can get without learning the hard way is great. They’ve been really good about it. They help me out with plays and are really supportive. We’re a unit, and we’re really close. We all want each other to do well.”